Letters | O'Connell, legislative retirement, basketball

Louisville courts

The article in Monday's Courier-Journal regarding Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell appears to be something that needs to be addressed, considering the power of judges and attorneys in our court system. I think he's a very brave man, not only for speaking up, but making the public aware that drunk drivers are getting acquitted too often, and using their talented attorneys to deliberately "misunderstand" the law. O'Connell obviously felt strongly about this to allow the public to become aware, since we would not have known, had he remained silent.

One of the biggest problems in this nation is we still have people driving drunk and killing innocent people. I think the fact that he's speaking out about that or any other overreach is commendable. As we have heard lately, the people at the top appear to be drunk with power, example: Washington. Please don't let this happen here in our courts.

JOANN SHARPE JARNAGIN

Louisville 40207

Resolving the issue

We've all seen the article about our local judges seemingly looking for excuses to let drunk drivers off the hook. Now we see those judges complaining about our county attorney who continues to call them out on their silly reasons for letting these folks off. The Kentucky Bar Association and its judges simply seem to be so sure of themselves that making real progress on this issue seems impossible without the loud complaints from people like Mike O'Connell. My thanks to Mr. O'Connell as well as the ACLU for pursuing this important issue.

As to allowing the KBA to "address and resolve" the issue, as far as I can tell their legalese and secretive nature leave them paralyzed. Lastly, the best way to know that progress is being made is when people who fight for the status quo say things like, "O'Connell has alienated the bench, the bar ...." Mr. O'Connell and ACLU, please keep making them uncomfortable and I will look forward to voting for Mr. O'Connell in the next election.

BRUCE BOHN

Louisville 40220

More deliberation

Transparency through time is legislation worth rushing through. Have you noticed that state lawmakers find themselves in gridlock, completely incapable of swift action in every arena of policy except when it comes to spending your hard-earned money to line their own pockets? For instance, the 2011 General Assembly deliberated for months about allowing Kentuckians to continue purchasing over-the-counter cold medications for their families without a doctor's prescription. However, in 2005, HB 299 - which greatly increased legislators' pension benefits - was rushed through the entire legislature in a single day.

Any reasonable person would agree that politicians should spend more time debating the Commonwealth's biennial budget or its huge unfunded public-pension liabilities than arguing about liberty-busting measures involving cold medication. Imagine if all proposed legislation enhancing politicians' personal benefits was deliberated for two consecutive legislative sessions before votes were cast. That extra time would allow for thorough vetting of bills, not only by legislators but also by taxpayers, media and policy experts. Rushing through legislation enhancing part-time state legislators' benefits screams: "We are hiding something, and you won't like what you find."

Kentucky taxpayers should demand that the General Assembly require at least two consecutive sessions for any policy that enhances legislators' benefits. That's the kind of legislation worth rushing.

LOGAN MORFORD

Vice President

Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions

Lexington, Ky. 40504

Primetime alert

I have great respect for the weather storm teams that interrupt broadcast coverage for storms, but who was the genius behind scheduling an Emergency Alert System test to go off during the NBA Finals? This is a basketball crazy state no matter what level ... and to have it go off during the final minute of overtime was like when NBC didn't show the end of a football game to go straight to the "Heidi" broadcast.

DANIEL SOLZMAN

Louisville 40242

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Letters | O'Connell, legislative retirement, basketball

The article in Monday's Courier-Journal regarding Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell appears to be something that needs to be addressed, considering the power of judges and attorneys in our